Some "deal!"

The media are reporting a "deal" between Senate Republicans and Democrats to permit voting on "some" of President Bush's judicial nominees.

The Republicans, for their part, agree not to kill the filibuster.

I suppose the same media outlets would report the end of World War II by saying that the Allies had reached a "deal" with Hitler and Hirohito to stop the fighting.

Sorry, but it sounds to me an awful lot like the Democrats simply caved!
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Eric Phillips said…
Like the Democrats caved? They still get to block three of the nominees. And whenever Bush sends them another nominee that for whatever reason they think is like those three (and nothing vcould be more subjective), they can just invoke this deal and threaten to filibuster. True, the Republicans have gained more than they previously had, but it remains to be seen how this will actually fall out.
5/24/2005 10:16:00 AM
Robert Elart Waters said…
Not quite. The Democrats can try to block those three nominees; personally, I don't think they will be able to. But they have obligated themselves not to fillibuster future nominees except in "exceptional" circumstances.

Now, I grant you that any nominee Bush sends up to the Supreme Court will be seen as "exceptional," especially if he or she isn't an iron-clad supporter of Roe v. Wade. Granted, too, that we have yet to see how this will play out. But I don't see that the Republicans have given up anything- except the ill-considered "nuclear option-" whereas the Democrats have clearly given ground.
5/24/2005 02:50:00 PM
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